Stanford came into Tuesday’s Foster Farms Bowl as heavy favorites against the Maryland Terrapins. They left nothing to be desired after a dominant 45-21 win over the Terps, controlling both sides of the ball. The Cardinal held 35-7 lead early in the third quarter, and took their foot off the gas after that. They did so without Ty Montgomery, who was out with a shoulder injury. A senior, Montgomery did not have a chance to end his career on a high note. Although Montgomery did not have a chance to do so, the Cardinal did not squander their opportunity to bring momentum into 2015 after a disappointing 8-5 season.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan had a nearly flawless game, completing fourteen passes of twenty passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. The chilly conditions at Levi’s Stadium didn’t fluster Hogan, who had no trouble throwing the ball to all sides of the field. His continued stretch of efficiency could make him jump to the NFL after this season, opening the door for redshirt freshman Keller Chryst to take over. Chryst appeared to be picking Hogan’s mind in the waning stages of the game, looking for nuggets of wisdom from the senior signal-caller.

Hogan appeared calm, cool, and collected in the pocket, with Maryland’s defensive front providing little resistance. He worked the intermediate passing game very well, completing seven passes of more than ten yards. He connected twice with receiver Devon Cajuste for scores, who took advantage of an undersized Terps’ secondary. Hogan spread the ball very well, with ten different receivers catching passes. He seemed to go through his progressions very slowly, a product of Montgomery’s absence. Hogan looked to his tight ends frequently, completing seven passes for 102 yards, including seventy-one to freshman phenom Austin Hooper. Hogan’s efforts earned him the Foster Farms Bowl offensive MVP award.

Hogan’s only miscue came on a fumbled handoff early in the third, when he inexplicably dropped the ball before handing it off to his back. It did not hurt the Cardinal in the end, as Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown immediately threw an interception to safety Kyle Olugbode. Brown overthrew his receiver by several feet, giving Olugbode an easy play on the ball. Stanford would respond with a quick touchdown drive, capped by Cajuste’s second touchdown catch. Cajuste finished with four catches for forty-seven yards, and will announce whether he will stay for another season at Stanford, or leave for the NFL on Wednesday.

David Shaw finally let Christian McCaffery do his thing, something Stanford fans have been calling for all season long. McCaffery’s speed and agility is well-suited for outside runs, and Maryland’s poor secondary allowed Stanford to utilize McCaffery to exploit this weakness. Stanford’s offense more closely resembled Oregon’s spread offense on Tuesday night to take advantage of this deficiency. They utilized intermediated passes and runs outside the tackles to avoid Maryland’s relatively stronger defensive front.

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THE CARDINAL SPACED OUT THEIR OFFENSE ON TUESDAY, AS SHOWN ABOVE.

He rushed for fifty-seven yards on just seven carries, and returned four punts for eighty-one yards. His electric play-making ability figures to play a larger role in 2015, although his style does not necessarily fit Stanford’s philosophy of physical running.

In spite of a poor second drive, the Cardinal defense was dominant, holding Maryland to just seventeen rushing yards. They controlled the line of scrimmage all game long, only letting up with the score well out of hand in the second half. Dual-threat quarterback C.J. Brown was kept in check, throwing for just 205 yards on twenty seven attempts. A big twenty-six yard catch by receiver Stefon Diggs led Maryland to their only score in the first half, facilitating the drive. Outside of that drive, the Terps gathered just 178 total yards. Foster Farms Bowl Defensive MVP James Vaughters led the charge for the Cardinal, sacking Brown twice and forcing a fumble. Tuesday’s game was the last for Vaughters at Stanford, who will enter the NFL Draft after graduating.

Although Stanford won just eight games in 2014, they were one play away from beating both Notre Dame and USC. They did not have quite as awful of a year as it has been made out to be, and have a bright future with McCaffery leading the charge. Whether or not Hogan leaves, the Cardinal are poised for a more successful 2015 campaign. Their school bowl record forty-five point outburst gives the offense confidence for next year, with Montgomery and Peat being the only players likely to leave. That is not the case on defense, with A.J. Tarpley, Vaughters, and Henry Anderson all graduating, to name a few. The Cardinal may be disappointed with 2014, but the Foster Farms Bowl was something to “cluck” about.

If you've ever spent time around a hockey rink chances are you've seen a puck go flying over the glass and into the stands. It's one of the reasons during games, most arenas won't let you walk the isles during game action.

It happens a lot at practice too.

Check out what happened Tuesday to Nashville Predators TV guy Willy Daunic as he was taping an interview during morning skate before the Preds nighttime game with the St. Louis Blues.

Yes, that's a flying puck that hits Daunic square in the noggin while he's talking. But the part we are impressed with--Daunic kept going, never stopping the interview.

He's only a freshman. And University of Georgia running back Nick Chubb may have already established himself as a leading Heisman Trophy candidate for 2015.

Chubb ran for 266 yards and 3 TD's to lead UGA to a 37-14 win over Louisville in the Belk Bowl Tuesday night.

The game which featured the Bulldogs offense matching up with the teams former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, now the coordinator at Louisville, was never close.

Grantham's Cardinal D, one of the top defenses in the country at stopping the run had no answer for Chubb who just kept getting the ball. And UGA really didn't do anything other than run it after the half as starting QB Huston Mason left the game with vision issues and the Bulldogs had redshirt freshman Bryce Ramsey who had limited experience running the club.

It's bad enough to lose a rivalry game. It's worse when you lose the game on your own mistake.

Which is exactly what happened Tuesday night in the FSU vs. Florida game in Tallahassee.

Here's the set-up: Game tied at 63 with just over 2 seconds left in the hard fought game. Florida State throws the ball in. Devon Brookert is forced by the defense to throw up a 3-pointer from deep in the right corner.

Brandon's shot is short and Gators forward Jacob Kurtz goes up to knock the ball away from the hoop.

One problem--Kurtz didn't do a very good job of knocking the ball away. With just 0.4 seconds left, his soft tip hits the rim and goes in. Basket counts---For the Seminoles.

The stunned Gators just shake their collective heads while the FSU faithful stare at the play for a second before they realize what happened and start celebrating the crazy win.

Suh had appealed the suspension, which would have kept him out of the Lions wild-card game vs. Dallas. In his appeal he claimed his feet were "Numb from the Cold" and he couldn't tell if he was on the frozen turf in Green Bay or not. In lieu of the suspension, he will pay a $70,000 fine.

Uh...yeah.

Suh has a history of after the fact silly things like this. Yes, he made it through the 2014 season without incident but he's been fined and/or suspended several times for offenses similar to this one.

The move will help the Lions as they face the powerful Cowboys offense led by the NFL's leading rusher, DeMarco Murray on Sunday.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

In a two-paragraph apology, Texas A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin has dismissed grad assistant Michael Richardson for his two shots on West Virginia players in yesterday's Liberty Bowl in Memphis:

So apparently new Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh will NOT be the highest paid coach in College Football.

According to reports; Harbaugh has told Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett a $5 million deal will be fine with him. Harbaugh apparently has said he'd rather the extra money go for his assistants. That word came from John Bacon who spoke with Hackett Tuesday morning.

That sigh of relief you hear might be from the Alabama booster club...

Just kidding...

Harbaugh will officially be introduced at Michigan Tuesday at noon and will be introduced to the student body at a Tuesday night home basketball game. The game by the way has been dubbed a "Khaki Out" by the students in honor of Harbaugh's frequent use of Khaki's as his pant of choice...

Reports had circulated earlier this month that UM was floating an $8 million, 6-year deal for their new coach and though the length of the contract has not been disclosed...and $5 million is still a lot of money, it's a lot less money than originally thought.

Congratulations to the Michigan fans, you got your man. Now let's see if he can sort out your mess and return you to the glory you feel like you should have.

Either that or the Oklahoma Sooners and/or the Big 10 have a big problem.

The Clemson Tigers rolled to an early 40-0 lead and cruised home to a 40-6 Russell Athletic Bowl win over the reeling Oklahoma Sooners in front of 40,000 or so fans in a half-full stadium in Orlando, Florida.

QB Cole Stoudt had a career game, throwing for 319 yards and 3 TD's. He also ran for another score to lead the Tigers. Meanwhile, much hyped Oklahoma QB Trevor Knight threw for 103 yards and 3 interceptions.

It wasn't pretty. And not to diminish the dominating performance by Clemson, the loss raised a ton of questions about longtime Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops.

Stoops, once considered a coaching darling or possible NFL head coach has struggled to keep the once competitive Sooners...well, um, competitive. The team was ranked as high as #3 or #4 in the preseason and finished the year 8-5 with a ton of question marks.

As for Clemson, while it wasn't a title winning year, the Tigers won 10 games for the 4th straight season under head coach Dabo Swinney.

Monday, December 29, 2014

The HQ saw that Crystal Palace would be the first to sack a manager in the Premier League season- Neil Warnock on Saturday after a 3-1 loss to Southampton as they fight in relegation.

Now, West Brom (struggling themselves at the bottom of the table) has sacked Alan Irvine who was regarded as a strange choice to take over in the first place after last season's misfortunes. The West Brom side have lost three in a row and are currently 16th in the table, but they're only one point above the drop zone.

The odd part of all this was that former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood was in line to take over for Warnock at Palace, but now he is lined up to take over for Irvine- according to the London Telegraph.

Got all that...???

But it gets better...

Alan Pardew may be jetting from Newcastle to go back to the place where he was a player in the 1980's and '90s- Crystal Palace.
Rebecca and the Robbies discuss
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If you're a student assistant for a football program, you're the lowest on the totem pole.

You're the guy that analyzes film at really odd hours
You're the guy that makes index cards for whoever wants them for game planning
You're the guy that makes those really big placards that have the symbols that, supposedly, tell the offense what the next play is

But, you're not the guy that is supposed to do this to West Virginia players during the Liberty Bowl

TWICE!!! Once to corner Daryll Worley and the other to RB Andrew Buie

The Texas A&M assistant, Michael Richardson, was given the football equivalent of being sent to his room- he was told by head coach Kevin Sumlin to remain in the locker room for the second half.

OSG sources are reporting former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has agreed to take over the helm of the Michigan Wolverines. There is a news conference scheduled on Tuesday in Ann Arbor with interim AD Jim Hackett. Harbaugh and his family were scheduled on a private jet from San Fran to Ann Arbor at 10:00am PST this morning, so that's just a coincidence, right? *insert eye roll here*

The details of the deal have not been released, but it was reported earlier that Michigan offered Harbaugh a six-year contract worth at least $48 million. Michigan officials did meet with Harbaugh Sunday night after the embattled head coach and the 49ers organization "agreed to mutually part ways."

Harbaugh played QB for Michigan under legendary head coach Bo Schembechler.

The house cleaning for teams that did not make the NFL Playoffs continues with the Chicago Bears cleaning house in their top management.

Head Coach Marc Trestman and General Manager Phil Emery were let got Monday morning by the underachieving Bears who finished 2014 at 5-11 with lots of tension.

Trestman finished his second season in the Windy City on a real down note as reports of internal fights among teammates and the general lack of performance by high paid QB Jay Cutler ultimately undid the team.

Like all the others, the Bears will begin the search for replacements immediately. No telling which direction the team will go....

The Atlanta Falcons have announced they've parted ways with now former head coach Mike Smith.

On Black Monday, the day after the NFL regular season came to an end, Smith became the 3rd casualty.

He coached the Falcons for 7 years beginning in 2008. And during that time, the team had quite a bit of success, recording back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in their history. Smith got them into the playoffs 5 times and helped guide them within a touchdown of a Super Bowl berth.

But the past two seasons haven't been as kind as the Falcons fell victim to bad luck, injuries and problems finding quality linemen. Smith also made some questionable coaching decisions which this past season cost his team two games.

We should add that GM Thomas Dimitroff is not without blame here as the Falcons have severely lacked top flight talent on the line and have not drafted well the past several seasons.

But Dmitroff is likely to stay--though his status is a bit iffy too.

We feel bad about this, having covered the Falcons for 10-years. We were there when Smitty was hired and he was a total class act.

But the team has not produced and ultimately, owner Arthur Blank, with a billion dollar stadium on the way had to make a change. And he made it with the hope a new regime can bring in a winning team to launch the new building.

This season has been full of ups and downs, with the 49ers showing great promise in some moments but then looking listless in others. Over the past four years, in the Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick era, the 49ers have had great success, except for this year. They went to three straight NFC Championship games, and even made the Super Bowl two years ago. However, this year all of the success that they had built up fizzled, going from a Super Bowl contender to mediocrity. Coming into today’s matchup against their division rival Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers were 7-8. They managed a 20-17 win today, ending their season at an even 8-8, maintaining Jim Harbaugh’s streak of no losing seasons.

On Sunday, the volatile 49ers were on one of their good days. Frank Gore rushed for a season high 144 yards on 25 carries, continuing to add onto his franchise leading rushing totals. Some believe that free-agent-to-be Gore will retire after his tenth year in the league. However, Gore prides himself on his determination and resiliency, making it unlikely that he would leave after a subpar season like this one. Furthermore, he has indicated that he would like to continue his career with the 49ers, the only team he has ever known. Whether or not he plays next season, it is highly unlikely that he will remain with San Francisco due to the fact that they have been grooming rookie Carlos Hyde to be his successor. Furthermore, they simply do not have the money to pay him, even though he is still a very reliable running back at age 31.

Even so, in today’s game he set a couple milestones in what may be his last game in Levi’s Stadium. He recorded his eighth season gaining 1000

rushing yards, also becoming the 20th running back to make it to 11,000 rushing yards. Whether or not he retires after this season, he will have left a huge impression on the 49ers’ franchise, as one of the most consistent players to ever step on the field. ((thanks to BASTA for the photo))

In the passing game, Colin Kaepernick threw for 204 yards on 15 of 26 attempts and two touchdowns, including a 76 yard catch and run to Anquan Boldin. The touchdown catch came early in the first quarter, just after the Cardinals had executed a flawless drive to take an early 7-0 lead. This score tied up the game for the 49ers, shifting the momentum back in their favor. It also gave receiver Anquan Boldin a 1000 yard receiving season for the second year in a row, making him the first 49ers’ receiver to achieve this feat in franchise history. Here’s a link to that play, that capitalized on a breakdown in the Cardinals’ secondary:

The 49ers had a field day on defense, coming up with three interceptions off of Arizona’s backup quarterback Ryan Lindley, all of which extremely important in stopping Cardinals’ drives. The first came courtesy of linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who snagged a third down pass and prevented the Cardinals from taking a field goal attempt that could have changed the result of the game. Cornerback Chris Culliver snagged the next interception early in the third quarter on what looked to be a promising Cardinals’ drive, both ending their drive and giving the 49ers great field position for their own, one that ended in their second touchdown. This touchdown came on a play action drag route by the fullback Bruce Miller, for a three yard score. The third and final interception came in the fourth quarter from linebacker Craig Dahl right after a sack that followed the 49ers punting the ball at the two minute warning. This interception sealed the game as it took away the Cardinals’ final chance to come back in the game, and allowed the 49ers to kneel the ball three times for the win.

Today’s win was great, and it served as a reminder that the 49ers are an extremely talented and capable team that had the potential for much better results this season than they ended up with. The 49ers executed very well today, and they showed that they should return to their successful ways next year. However, it is now guaranteed that they will have to do so without the coach that brought them success after an extremely long drought: Jim Harbaugh.

Ever since the 49ers started losing, and especially since they fell out of playoff contention, the narrative of this season has been about Harbaugh leaving. People have been predicting whether or not he would leave, who would replace him if he did (we discussed some options here), and where he will go next. Jim Harbaugh is unquestionably a very talented coach, and even when there were allegations that he had lost respect in the locker room, his players were always proactive in stepping up and denying these rumors, speaking about how they like Jim Harbaugh as a coach and have the utmost respect for him. After today’s game, when speaking about Harbaugh’s departure, quarterback Colin Kaepernick said:
((HT: CSN Bay Area))
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Out of the three questions that people have been asking for this season, one has been definitively answered, one has a very strong possibility, and one has yet to be answered.

The first and most pressing question was answered after today’s win: Jim Harbaugh is leaving the 49ers. Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers announced that they have mutually agreed to part ways, and he will either leave the NFL or be traded away to fulfill the remaining one year on his five year, 25 million dollar contract. After the game, Jim Harbaugh said:

“I’m forever proud to have been a part of this. It’s been a tremendous four years, it’s been a pleasure to work and serve for this organization…You work at the pleasure of the organization, that’s what we all do.”Quote courtesy of ESPN

The second question about his replacement is the one that has yet to be answered. The 49ers organization will have to come up with a decision quickly. However, they would want to give their new coach as much time as possible with the team, especially if they look outside the organization. As it currently stands, there are only a few probable options for the coaching position next year, due to the fact that the 49ers need some resemblance of continuity. In addition, Trent Baalke will want a coach who he can control, unlike the abrasive Harbaugh. Also, the 49ers need a coach who can help Kaepernick develop. Currently, he is the only viable starting quarterback in the system, and he has shown signs that he can succeed at the NFL level, although he still needs guidance from a good coach. The three main options in no particular order are Vic Fangio if the 49ers look inward, and Adam Gase or Mike Shanahan if they look outwards.

Vic Fangio would provide the most continuity, as he has been the 49ers’ defensive coordinator for the past four years, joining with Jim Harbaugh from Stanford, and he has 15 years of NFL defensive coordinator experience. Throughout the past four years, Harbaugh has steered clear of the defense, knowing that Vic Fangio is fully capable of running that aspect of the team. If he is promoted to head coach, he would continue to run the defense, and he would give wide berth to current offensive coordinator Greg Roman to run the offense, and essentially the two would work in tandem. Also, he would nestle in nicely with Trent Baalke, and he is a much calmer presence that would not ruffle the management’s feathers.

Adam Gase would be another intriguing option, the hot name on the market this year after transforming Denver’s offense into a well-oiled machine as their offensive coordinator. Of course he would not have the same offensive tools in San Francisco, especially at quarterback and receiver. Hopefully he would be able to help Kaepernick grow, while also providing a valuable boost to the offense, leaving Vic Fangio to handle the defensive side of the game, as Harbaugh has done for the last four years. Experience coaching Peyton Manning give Gase valuable knowledge about the quarterback position, learning from an all-time great.

Mike Shanahan may be too old for the job at 62, but he has experience with the 49ers as their offensive coordinator from 1992 to 1994, and he also has 20 years of NFL head coaching experience. However, his last season as head coach was with the Redskins in 2013, guiding them to a woeful 3-13 campaign. Shanahan would have been a great option for the 49ers a few years ago, but now he is more of a fringe candidate, due to both his age and lack of recent success. Even so, he would probably provide the largest offensive boost of these three candidates, as he led the Broncos to win the 1997 and 1998 Super Bowls as their offensive coordinator.

Whether the 49ers end up with one of these three candidates or another candidate not listed will be mainly based on how much money they want to spend on a coach and how much control Trent Baalke wants to exert. Each of these coaches comes with a different price tag, with Vic Fangio being the cheapest and Adam Gase the most expensive. The 49ers should probably announce a coaching decision within a few weeks, and they will probably target somebody outside the organization first, and if that falls through, they will be safe with Vic Fangio as a very solid in-house option.

The third question is the one that has not yet been definitively answered, although Jim Harbaugh may have already internally answered the question. He received a quite lucrative offer to go back to the college level as a head coach for his alma mater Michigan, which is looking for a coach with his ability to take a team from rags to riches. He has proven himself extremely capable of raising programs from nothing to instant contenders, first at Stanford and then with the 49ers. However, he has been noncommittal when asked about Michigan, saying that “announcements will be made” about where he will go next year. Unquestionably, Jim Harbaugh is out of the picture for the 49ers, but his next location is still technically up in the air, although Michigan looks to be the destination. From the 49ers’ perspective, it would be better for Harbaugh to stay in the NFL so that the 49ers could trade him either for cash compensation or possibly even players. Either way, Harbaugh should have great success wherever he goes, while simultaneously earning a lofty paycheck.

The 49ers 2014 season is now over, and although it was subpar, the organization still has a bright future. It will be led by breakout rookies like Carlos Hyde and Chris Borland and young veterans Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid. The 49ers have a lot of talent on their team, and they are still very capable of contending next year, especially if they find a coach who can bring out the best in Kaepernick, so that he can finally get the Super Bowl ring that he so badly desires.

Surprising no one, really, Black Monday begins with a dual firing in New York with both head coach Rex Ryan and GM John Idzik being shown their walking papers.

Owner Woody Johnson has long been known for wanting to clean house and he went two levels on a team that seemed ill-fitted to compete in the AFC- until yesterday with their fun performance and win over the Miami Dolphins

Here's his game ball presentation

And his addressing the media after the game

The HQ anticipates their will be further action in Chicago, Atlanta, and the actions in San Francisco

Sunday, December 28, 2014

MEADOWLANDS, NJ--Sports pundits have been placing wagers on Rex Ryan's demise in New York for years. Well, if you picked the end of the 2014-15 season for sexy Rexy's marching papers, then you might have just won big.

According to NJ.com, former Redskins general manager and consultant Charley Casserly has already started contacting people about replacing the embattled head coach AND current NYJ GM John Idzik. Owner Woody Johnson is apparently not wasting any time.

According to another source, Ryan has already started cleaning out his office in advance of the impending move. If this happens, at least Ryan and Idzik went out after a 37-24 win over Brother Phil's Miami Dolphins. Ryan spoke out after the game, in a message directed right at Johnson.

If so, that would put an end to the biggest fish potentially on the coaching carousel.

Of course Harbaugh still coaches the 49ers, who've already been eliminated from the NFC Playoffs. And the team plays their final game of the season Sunday afternoon vs. the Arizona Cardinals.

The move would mark a return to the college game for Harbaugh who was very successful at Stanford prior to taking the 49ers job. And it would also bring home the man Michigan supporters believe will be the one to revive the one-time powerhouse program that has lagged behind arch-rival Ohio State and pretty much everyone else in the Big 10 for quite a few years.

Mind you Harbaugh has not been let go by the Niners yet, though that is expected to happen Sunday night or Monday morning. By going from the NFL back to college, the Niners would not be entitled to any compensation, something they had hoped to get if he went looking for another NFL gig.

Multiple reports say the deal is official and is for close to what was reported last week. 6 years at roughly $48 million dollars which would make Harbaugh the highest paid coach in College Football. At least until the Alabama fans have a chance to boost Nick Saban's lifetime deal.

The transition will be gradual. We will continue posting content here for the next month or so and also posting it at the new site.

Hopefully by February, everyone will know how to find us and we'll be SportsBlog only.

Thank you all for your support over the years, you have no idea how much it means to us that you come and read our content. Words cannot thank you all enough, just know that we enjoy doing it as much as you enjoy reading it. And our goal is to continue to bring you the best, the funniest and sometimes the irreverent parts of the sports world with insight by a team of professionals who know much, much more than the average blogger.

It took this loss to Southampton to send Neil Warnock on his way- after only four months on the job...
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Warnock was manager from 2007 and 2010 and was seen as a hopeful replacement for Tony Pulis- who left the squad two days before the regular season after a dispute with the ownership over player control. Pulis, strangely, and former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood are seen as replacements for the replacement now that Palace are back in the relegation zone.

Three young men are nursing injuries from a shooting Christmas Eve in Immokalee, Florida that scared the crap out of them all.

Two of those three are college football players: 19-year old J.C Jackson, a freshman WR and DB at the University of Florida and 20-year old Jacky Marcellus is a wide receiver at West Virginia.

Both were injured, though not seriously in the shooting which happened in the car of Marcellus's 21-year old brother Jackinson. Jackinson Marcellus was shot in the face by an unidentified assailant near the Crestview Apartments.

All three are from Immokalee and based on reports, were friends who were just out and about that night. Police have not offered a motive for the shooting.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Want proof football is a violent game that takes a huge physical toll on players? Look no further than Clint Trickett, Quarterback for West Virginia University.

The school...and Trickett announced Friday the senior has ended his football career after his 5th concussion in the past 14 months. The 5th and final concussion for Trickett happened November 20th when the Mountaineers played Kansas State. It would end up being his last game.

Now, a month plus removed from that last concussion, Trickett has yet to be able to pass a test that would clear him to play in the teams Liberty Bowl game vs. Texas A&M. And it's what prompted him to say enough is enough.

Skyler Howard relieved Trickett in the K-State game and started the next week vs. Iowa State. Howard will also start the Liberty Bowl game.

As for Trickett, he intends to take up the family business. Daddy Rick is the offensive line coach at Florida State, where Trickett began his college career.

Late March in Washington state will always be remembered for the killer mudslides that seemed to take over the state.

The Oso mudslide made its impact on the people of the town of Darrington where the high school was this/close to having to disband the boy's basketball program because they couldn't find a coach who was interested that could combat all the travel difficulties to get to the Darrington area to coach.

Here's Chris Daniels to introduce you to the man whose "heart project" has the Loggers on the floor...

Thursday, December 25, 2014

100 years ago, the western front was where the battle was the fiercest in World War I- for more reasons than just the weaponry this time of year. In what was referred to as "No Man's Land" in Belgium, it has been told that British and German soldiers laid down their arms on the day the War was promised to end and played a spontaneous match of soccer.

And we're talking hundreds per side...

It has been romanticized and retold- even making it to the Sainsbury's Chocolates ad campaign for this holiday season

The question, though, has always been: Did this happen...???

There has been eyewitness reference to it, but one professor says the whole event has been blown up to match the tale. Mark Connelly, Professor of Modern British History at the Center for War, Propaganda and Society at the UK's University of Kent gives the whole thing a "Yeah, but" mentality.

"I think it highly likely that someone, somewhere did bring out a ball and a bit of a kick about took place, but that is a long, long way from saying it definitely happened and that it was anything like a formal match rather than just men tapping a ball about a bit," Connelly told CNN."There is a huge difference between a truce and fraternization and we have tended to put the two together."

Here's how Fox Sports addressed the story in their "Rise As One" series...
Although, the HQ strenuously objects to beer bottles being held in a war memorial
((HT: Budweiser))

An educational program has been brought about by the Football Association (the FA) and the Premier League to continue the education of youth in the theatre. There have been annual tournaments in Belgium at Ypres, ad campaigns on their own, and educational packets to make sure the stories are not lost and the importance of remembering history is always retained.

And that's the larger message, we think...

Never forget a sacrifice and recall the bravery of those who served and continue to serve to this day...

Learn more about the Christmas Truce below...
((HT: The History Channel))

Looks like "Big Daddy Cool" had to lose his cool just before the holiday...

It appears that WWE legend Kevin Nash and his 18-year-old son, Tristen, had an altercation in their home in central Florida.

Police reports initially had the elder Nash arrested after getting into a fight with his son. Nash said he was trying to defend his wife against his son who had come home drunk and belligerent. Police then returned once there was another 9-1-1 call from the same address after the son tried to allegedly take some more swings at other family members.

They then arrested the son...

Here's the report from Daytona Beach

The only objection the HQ has to the live shot the day after the arrest is the shooting of the license plate of one of the family cars parked in the driveway. Now, anyone can trace the Ford Mustang and chase after one of the Nash family at any time they choose...

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Okay, other than the trip to the Bahamas, we have no idea why a bowl game is played there. And based on the video, it appears nobody actually went to the game.

But boy TV viewers were treated to one of the craziest games and finishes in a long, long time.

Western Kentucky won the game over Central Michigan 49-48. But not before the Hilltoppers nearly lost it.

The Chippewas, down 49-14 scored 34 straight points in the 4th quarter, coming within one on one of the craziest plays we've ever seen. QB Cooper Rush heaved the ball downfield on a hail mary throw. One of his receivers Jesse Kroll caught it in traffic and began a series of laterals which ended in a Titus Davis scoring the Central Michigan touchdown at the buzzer.

Rather than settle for a bowl game tie, the Chippewas went for the 2-point conversion and win. It failed.

Rush set a bowl game record with 7 TD passes overshadowing Western's QB Brandon Doughty who threw for 486 yards and 5 TD's.

Jon Solomon wrote another stellar piece on the future of the UAB Athletics program- and their thinking, through the CarrSports Report, is that they'll be fine. But there are a few issues with their report.

The biggest issue is the idea that they'll be retained by Conference USA- which would be a violation of the conference's own by-laws.

From the piece:

UAB is projected to lose roughly $2 million per year in NCAA and Conference USA revenue starting in 2015-16. That includes annual payouts of $900,000 in C-USA TV revenue, $800,000 from the College Football Playoff, and $40,000 in C-USA bowl money. Carr projected a flat $800,000 from the playoff each year even though it's expected the payouts will increase.

The financial projections assume UAB will remain a C-USA member -- a value the study shows is $657,000 annually as a non-football member -- but many people believe that's unlikely to happen since C-USA's current bylaws require playing football for membership. UAB projects $350,000 per year in NCAA men's basketball tournament units from C-USA, $260,000 a year from a C-USA revenue growth supplement, and $40,000 a year from the C-USA men's basketball tournament.

The school seems to be banking on the idea that they can broker the lost football games from 2015 and lessen their make-goods: which, frankly, is a misconceived idea. Any school that might be looking for a 2015 game probably already has a schedule mapped out. And any school that is REALLY looking for a game, probably, can handle their own negotiating.

Thanks for asking, though...

There's nothing in it for the seeker- except doing President Ray Watts a solid.

And that's got to be a small group of Presidents and Athletics Directors...

There is the further assumption that people will return (or new donors will emerge) with football gone. In the south, that would be a rarity indeed. A school that had football that now does not, but will be adding cross country and track and field doesn't seem like a fair swap for donor dollars.

For the record, Solomon says CarrSports got a little under $80,000 for their wisdom using VCU, Wichita State, and the American Athletic Conference as their benchmarks for thought when it comes to UAB's future.

The HQ would think that UAB is destined for a conference like the Atlantic Sun for their sports since they're more interested in saving dollars rather than investing. That latter notion would send them to the American, the Missouri Valley, or the Atlantic-10. But cost-cutting moves like wiping out the band don't give mid-major basketball conferences reasons to be all that enthusiastic about level of competitiveness.

Tommy Spina caught up with former UAB football booster Justin Craft about the demise of the program and what can be done from here- if anything
((HT: CW21/MYTV68 Birmingham))

The saga of former Auburn/Arkansas State/Lousiville RB Michael Dyer may have reached an end.

Dyer was ruled academically ineligible for Louisville's Belk Bowl game with Georgia next week. The senior was the 2nd leading rusher for the Cardinals and had missed the 1st three games of the season due to a thigh injury.

Dyer's journey through college was confusing and seemingly always filled with trouble. He began at Auburn where he got playing time on the Tigers 2010 National Championship team. At that point his future looked bright.

But when then offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn briefly left to coach at Arkansas State, Dyer followed. He had some success there, but eventually was dismissed from that team due to academic and other issues.

He landed at Louisville in 2013, but didn't play much his first season due to injuries.

But Birmingham civic and economic leaders met to discuss the future of UAB as an institution- wondering aloud a few things including whether or not the school should break away from the University of Alabama systemABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports

Not that a whole lot was accomplished- other than making sure other civic leaders remember where the situation stands at present- a detached president, a selfish Board of Regents, and a lot of athletes trying to fend for an education.

But the HQ hopes more UAB kids and coaches find jobs and can stick it to the current President of the university in more ways than one...

Memphis scores on a 4th Down and 4 with ten seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime at 45.
Both teams kick field goals in the first, and Memphis holds off BYU with another field goal and interception in the second overtime for the 51-48 win.

But here's what went down afterwards- and it was UGLY!

BYU AD Tom Holmoe took to Twitter to apologize for his team's behavior.

The Coloradan newspaper in Ft. Collins is reporting it's a done deal RIGHT HERE

We should note the Rams are waiting until Tuesday according to several reports as to not interfere with Monday nights Broncos/Bengals game in Denver.

Bobo would replace new Florida head coach Jim McElwain, who left Ft. Collins to take the Gators job just a couple of weeks ago.

Bobo is respected by most in the College Football business as one of the nations best coordinators. His Bulldog offenses have been among the top in country for several years.

However, he leaves Athens with mixed reviews among the ignorant Georgia faithful who too often blamed losses or play calls they did not agree with on him. We would add not all fans--but a vocal group of them. Those fans will come to find out Bobo was a little better than the TV bound pseudo coaches think he is.

We've gotten to interview coach Bobo several times, he's truly one of the nice guys in the game. He also is very smart and commands respect from his players. We wish Coach Bobo the best in Colorado, we have no doubt he will be successful. And who knows, once he gets some head coaching experience under his belt, he might find his way back some time in the near future. We wish him the best.

Chad Kelly has some issues that need to be dealt with before he should be allowed to play college football.

The oft-travelled 20-year old Kelly, nephew of former Buffalo Bills QB Jim Kelly was arrested early Sunday morning in Buffalo after a skirmish at a local bar.

Chad Kelly recently (Wednesday) signed a scholarship offer with Ole Miss after a successful 2014 season at East Mississippi Junior College, winning the NJCAA title. Kelly was there in large part because in early 2014, he was kicked off the Clemson roster after arguing with coaches during the teams spring game.

And according to several reports, Kelly had issues in High School as well.

His latest incident came after he refused to leave a downtown Buffalo restaurant and bar sometime after 3 a.m Sunday morning. Reports say he punched a bouncer in the face. A 21-year old friend of Kelly's who had already been tossed from the place was trying to go back in when the melee ensued.

According to the Buffalo News, Kelly told the bouncer; "I'm going to go to my car and get my AK-47 and spray this place".

Kelly then left Encore when police stopped him down the street. He reportedly threw punches when officers tried putting him in a squad car.

No word yet from Ole Miss on what they'll do with Kelly, but it will be interesting to see how they handle it.

The Rebels are looking to replace graduating starter Bo Wallace and with Kelly's credentials in Junior College, he certainly would have a shot at the job. However he also appears to have some issues. How those issues are dealt with now becomes the question.

Updated: There's now video of the brawl outside Encore. While Kelly's lawyer is quick to say that the audio clears his client, said audio is very hard to hear outside someone yelling "Chill dude". This probably will not help as much as the lawyer thinks--

Seattle Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch IS Beast Mode. And he proved it yet again Sunday night with one of the most incredible 79-yard TD runs you'll ever see.

Shedding tacklers like sand fleas, Lynch isn't the fastest guy on the field, but at times nobody seems able to get him off his feet.

Check out the crazy run along with the highlights of Seattle dismantling the Arizona Cardinals 35-6.

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((Note-Lynch is going to get fined, if you notice at the end of his TD run, he leaps in the air and grabs his crotch. That is a no-no and stupid. It should cost him money for that and hopefully will))

But then there is post game. And reporters always want to talk to the best players after the games. However Lynch, he's apparently not a big fan of talking to the assembled media. He's been fined by the NFL for not participating in the post game scrum.

And Lynch, rather than get fined again has participated. But his answers to questions well, they leave a bit to be desired though admittedly at times they are funny.

The other interesting issue to us is the duel between reporters and Lynch. The reporters are genuinely upset "Beast Mode" won't talk to them. And having been on that end, sure, we get it. You want the interview with the star of the day. But we also get Lynch. He doesn't like to talk. He should not be required to.

Yes we know he's a professional, it's part of the job. But it should be his choice whether he talks or not. If he doesn't want to, talk to his teammates. Find someone else to talk to. It should be his choice. (Just our opinion here)

Here's video of the Lynch Post Game interview from ESPN.com--Thanks for asking:

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Florida State QB Jameis Winston was cleared on sexual assault allegations in his Code of Conduct hearing on campus.

Winston's attorney, David Cornwell, announced the decision on his Twitter account Sunday afternoon:

"In sum, the preponderance of the evidence has not shown that you are responsible for ANY of the charged violations of the Code."

This does not mean that the accuser in the case is locked out of options. She and her legal representation could pursue a civil case- which is highly likely. But had Winston's Code of Conduct case come back with a decision against him, he could have been expelled (among other things you can to to a student in an evidentiary hearing setting).

And, to no one's surprise, the way the university handled the Winston case might have been a little different than the others the school has handled in the past that were similar in charge and scope.

The game was over after UCLA could manage only 7 points in the first half.

Yes...seven...

Twenty minutes into their CBS Classic (made for TV) game vs. top ranked Kentucky, the Bruins trailed 41-7.

Did we mention it was 24-0 before UCLA finally got on the scoreboard?

Kentucky's long line of 6-10 plus athletes tormented UCLA, holding the Bruins to 3 for 37 shooting in the first half. After Wildcats coach John Calipari called off the dogs in the second half, UCLA managed to make the game a little closer.

The final score 83-44.

Devin Booker had 19 points and Aaron Harrison chipped in 15 for Kentucky who was able to empty the bench and shot 50 percent as a team on the night.

The Wildcats, at least early in season are proving to be the best team in all the land. And while there are still three months to go, nobody else looks to be even close.

It's never good to put the puck in your own net, but in hockey and a few other sports it happens from time to time.

But you are not likely to see an "Own Goal" like this one.

Saturday night, the Calgary Flames put one in between the pipes when goalie Jonas Hiller left the net unattended after a delayed penalty call.

Which in hockey happens quite frequently. When you know a penalty is coming, you try to run an extra attacker out there until the whistle blows.

Here's the problem: A Flames defender got the puck and launched it back towards the blue line.

Nobody was there.

The puck kept sliding down the ice and yup, it goes in the net. Vancouver Canucks defender Yannick Weber, the last Canuck to touch the puck gets credit for the goal and all Flames coach Bob Hartley can do is shake his head.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

University of Cincinnati's head basketball coach Mick Cronin missed his teams game on Saturday and is likely to miss a few more while being treated at the school's hospital for what was termed an "Unruptured Aneurysm".

The 43-year old Cronin had been complaining the past few weeks about headaches and got a series of tests early in the week.

That's when doctors noticed the Aneurysm. Thankfully, it had not yet done anything other than cause discomfort. Cronin is resting comfortably at the hospital and is keeping track of his team.

He also tweeted out his thanks to Bearcat fans and other for their support.

I want everyone to know I am going to be ok!! I just can't coach for precautionary reasons with my medical condition.
— Mick Cronin (@CoachCroninUC) December 20, 2014

I hope to be back ASAP but that will not be my call. As I love to say " I am always day to day. " so that really applies now.
— Mick Cronin (@CoachCroninUC) December 20, 2014

Clearly, the Giants have not had the most flashy off-season. They missed out on re-signing Pablo Sandoval and picking up Yasmany Tomas and Jon Lester, while the Padres went out and acquired practically every outfielder on the market. However, standing relatively pat may not be the worst thing for the Giants. They have made three financially sound moves this winter, the first being re-signing reliever Sergio Romo to a two-year, fifteen million dollar contract. Sabean followed by signing Jake Peavy to a two-year, twenty-four million dollar deal, and then went out and acquired Casey McGehee from Miami to man the hot corner. In acquiring McGehee, the Giants gave up merely pitching prospects Kendry Flores and Luis Castillo, who apparently play baseball. Giants fans may bemoan Sabean’s seeming lack of action, but his moves may prove to be shrewd when it is all said and done.

First and foremost, McGehee will never replace Sandoval in the clubhouse or on the field. He does have a very similar portly frame, but has much less power. He was about an average major league hitter in 2014, becoming the National League’s Comeback Player of the Year and posting a wRC+ of 102. For those looking for a masher, McGehee has never been one in any resemblance, although he did launch twenty-three homers in 2011, albeit fueled in part by relatively hitter-neutral Miller Park. He also brings championship experience to the table, as he won a title in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2013. Perhaps Sabean values his experience winning in odd years.

Lacking power, his success is fueled by average, a statistic that can largely be dictated by luck, as hit placement fluctuates from season to season. However, despite his inflated .335 BABIP, way above his career averages, McGehee’s line drive rate spiked almost three percent in 2014. Harder contact makes it easier for hits to fall in. Hence, McGehee’s increase in hard hits balls was likely due to an adjustment he successfully made, not luck.

In addition, McGehee has proven to be an slightly-below average defender at the big league level. He has lost twenty-four DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) in his six years in the big leagues, a serviceable number. He is no Manny Machado, but he certainly isn’t the Matt Kemp of the infield. Once more, McGehee comes at virtually no cost in prospects or money, and likewise risk, commanding a salary of just over one million dollars in 2015. He is under club control for just one year, and is likely a stop-gap type piece until Sabean can find a free agent or trading partner to solidify the position for good. Essentially, the Giants gave up next to nothing for a reliable rental at third base, a player who posted a sold 2.0 WAR in 2014.

The Giants didn’t just save money at third base: they also bought from the bargain bin at starting pitcher in signing Peavy. Peavy pitched very well with the Giants in 2014, posting a 2.17 ERA after coming to the Bay Area from Boston. However, this success was largely fueled by an insanely low 3.2 HR/FB%, well below his career average of 9.5%. For this reason, Steamer pegs Peavy for a 3.67 ERA in 2015, a solid number for a bottom-of-the-rotation starter, about market value for twelve million. Bochy has a special bond with Peavy that started in their days in San Diego; he just pitches better under Bochy.

For these reasons, Peavy likely represents insurance for the Giants if they don’t sign James Shields or Max Scherzer, and could fit in nicely in the fourth spot in the rotation behind Bumgarner, Cain, and Hudson. If they do sign Shields or Scherzer, Tim Lincecum would be forced out of the rotation, leaving the Giants with considerable depth at starting pitcher, coupled with Yusmiero Petit. In either scenario, the Giants are set for 2015 with their rotation; Shields or Scherzer would just be icing on the cake. Economic savings on Peavy and McGehee give the Giants the flexibility to win a bidding war with any team competing for Scherzer or Shields’ services, namely the Detroit Tigers. The Giants are currently the favorites for Shields, with no other team clearly in the running. Shields would be markedly cheaper, and is much more likely to sign with San Francisco.

Romo’s slider didn’t break as tightly in 2014, especially during a rough June stretch. However, he picked it up as the season dragged on in the setup role. Hitters seem to have adjusted to his increasingly hittable slider. However, with righty reliever Pat Neshek signing a very similar deal with Houston, the Giants did not over-spend, at least too much. Romo projects to be somewhat better in 2015, as Steamer sees him posting a 2.95 ERA.

In all, Sabean spent around twenty million on three players. Giants fans may decry Sabean as frugal, but his strategy of signing his homegrown players has certainly paid off in the last five years. Sabean has shown he was willing to spend big in offering competitive deals to Lester and Sandoval, and these smaller deals allow him to spend big on a right-handed horse. Casey McGehee and Jake Peavy aren’t quite Sandoval and Lester, but they aren’t quite Joaquin Arias and Tim Lincecum, either. This mid-tier moves may not seem significant, but they solidify two very shaky spots on the Giants’ roster. Whether Sabean uses his surplus money on a left fielder AND a top-of-the-line starter remains to be seen, but the Giants would be fine starting off 2015 with Lincecum in the fifth starter role and Blanco in left. Blanco is a perfectly competent major league left fielder, one who can handle cavernous AT&T Park very well. As I alluded to in my off-season preview in November:

Unless Sabean becomes infatuated with another veteran outfielder (See Derosa, Mark), there is no reason to believe that anyone but Gregor Blanco will be the Opening Day left fielder.